Component feeding is a well-known process in Surface Mounting Technology (SMT). In general, a feeder is used to sequentially supply surface mountable electrical components to a pick up location for subsequent placing, by a pick-and-place machine, onto a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) which is pre-printed with solder paste.
One form of feeder is a tape and reel feeder in which the electrical components are packaged on a tape that is wound onto a reel. The tape comprises individual pockets each containing one of the electrical components that are individually sealed in the pockets by a covering of thin film. In use, the film is removed when the tape enters the pick up location therefore leaving a pocket containing one of the electrical components in a position accessible by the pick-and-place machine. Unfortunately, the tape is substantially wider than the components located in the pockets, in addition, the reel and apparatus for removing the film also adds to the width and overall size of the feeder.
Hopper feeders also known as bulk or tube feeders are an alternative to tape and reel feeders. Hopper feeders comprise a hopper in communication by means of a passage with the pick up location which supplies components stored in the hopper to the pick up location by pulsed air blasting techniques. The pick up location has an abutment wall and an aperture and in use the abutment wall abuts the components supplied from the hopper before they are removed, through the aperture, by the pick-and-place machine.
One problem with hopper feeders is that the components may be propelled along the passage at relatively high velocities due to the pulsed air blasting techniques used. As a result, the propelled components collide with stationary components in the passage that have been previously propelled by pulsed air blasting. The impact of these collisions may result in some of the components being damaged or cracked and debris may also be deposited which can lead to components jamming in the passage.